


Rosebud

by messageredacted



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Earth-3 (Crime Syndicate Universe), Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-14
Updated: 2012-01-14
Packaged: 2017-10-29 13:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/320301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/messageredacted/pseuds/messageredacted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Comment fic prompt: Jokester and Jason Todd (not necessarily pairing). Because Crisis did it wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rosebud

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written on 25 February 2011.

“No! You won’t kill anyone else as long as I—”

As heroic moves go, it’s not a bad one. The Jokester feels the blast get him in the back, cracking ribs and searing his flesh and slamming him to the floor. The bad guys are closing in, and his new friends are escaping.

Maybe ‘friends’ isn’t the right word, but he did just sacrifice his life for them.

He’s just choosing his last words when an iron grip closes around his upper arm and drags him to his feet. The Jokester chokes back a groan, struggling to get his balance. Rescue? He’d been hoping for a bullet in the brain.

“Come on,” snarls his savior, hoisting Jackie’s arm over his shoulders and dragging him along. It’s the angry kid in the domino mask, the one who insists that Jackie killed him in another universe.

“No, no, that was my exit,” the Jokester says, stumbling as they run.

“You don’t get off that easy.” The kid, Jason Todd, sounds angry but he looks at Jackie like he’s grudgingly reevaluating his opinion of him. Jackie doesn’t need this kid’s respect, but it’s kind of nice.

Maybe it’s not time to go yet.


End file.
